The present invention relates to a climbing system for a crane.
In the context of cranes, the term “climbing” describes the inserting process of mast elements into a crane tower in order to elevate a crane to a desired clamp height. To this end, a climbing apparatus moveably connected to the tower structure is provided, which typically surrounds the crane and features an opening at one of its sides through which opening a mast section (mast element) can be inserted into the tower structure or be removed therefrom.
In the state of the art, the climbing apparatus is, among others, called climbing lift, climbing elevator, climbing platform, or telescope slide. This, however, always refers to a moveable structure linked to the crane tower designed to insert a mast section into a tower section respectively removing it from the latter.
In general, climbing is effected with the crane upper section fully mounted, which typically comprises the main jib, the counter jib, the counter ballast, the crane cab, and the turntable. The climbing apparatus is arranged beneath and connected to the crane upper section such that it can lift the crane upper section. A mast section can thus be inserted into the tower structure or removed from the tower structure in order to elevate the crane upper section to a desired height level.
When climbing a crane, the portion of a tower structure above the climbing apparatus is lifted by means of a hoisting device and a mast section is inserted in the gap so generated. Thereby, the freshly inserted mast section is fixed to the tower structure by assemblers working on the tower structure. Due to personnel-intensive work that has to be realised in the area of the mast section to be inserted respectively to be removed, climbing a crane is laborious. What is more, the accident hazards for the personnel in charge of the climbing process is high during their effecting such climbing process.